Sunday, November 20, 2011

Every once in a while I have one of those days. I know what you are thinking . . . one of those days where everything goes wrong. Sure, I have days like that, as we all do. On those days I tell myself tomorrow will be better, and it usually is. What I am talking about is one of those days where everything seems to go as planned, and everything goes well. Sometimes even a few little unexpected nice things happen that you didn't plan for. I would call this a good day.On a good day, when I leave dreamland (where I am in a quilt shop with an extra hundred dollars and ten pounds thinner) I can slowly open my eyes and not have a million things pop in my head that I need to do today. Can it be? Do I really have a day where I can focus on me, myself, and I? Of course I will have the usual daily duties being a mom and wife and daughter, and some days are more filled than others, but today . . . I think I have nothing urgently calling for my attention. Yipeee!!!

On a good day I will hear my son moving around getting ready to go to his classes. Oddly, I don't actually hear him and wake up. I just instinctively wake up when I DON'T hear him moving around. I look at the clock and realize he isn't up and go rouse him from his sweet dreams. Somehow my mom gene takes over and wakes me when it is around the time he should be up and moving. Isn't it amazing how the brain works? He is not a morning person, and neither am I. He is in college now, and after finishing off his last year of college he will hopefully get a nice job that pays well and that has a 2nd shift. I worry that I will have to call him every morning for the rest of my life to wake him up when he moves out.

On a good day I physically feel well, or at least not too bad. The usual minor aches and pains don't get me discouraged anymore, just a part of life I guess. On the rare occasion when I wake up feeling pretty darn good, in combination with a day I might have some free time - I declare it to be an official "Today Is Whatever The Heck I Want To Do Day". I try to squeeze these special days in every once in a while, especially after a long string of those other days. You know what I mean - those busy, tiring, stressful days that unfortunately occur quite often. I start off with my prayers as I am still in bed, and continue with them as I get up and fill my teapot with water. I make my bed and put on my oh-so-comfy sweats that my family would love to burn. I head back into the kitchen to pour the steaming water into my mocha chocolate-french vanilla cappuccino mix and take in the heavenly smell. Mmmmmm. So far, so good.

Yes, this day would be a PERFECT "Today Is Whatever The Heck I Want To Do Day. " I must decide what I will do. I am pretty sure it will involve some sewing or at least craft or sewing related activities. That usually translates into shopping for these activities, like a fabric store or quilt shop. I will gather my sales ads and coupons as I enjoy my 2nd cup of coffee and put them into the back seat of the car so I won't forget them. Have you ever been shopping and realized your sales ad was still waiting for you at home, sitting in the mudroom or on the kitchen counter? Yikes!!! I plan my little trip out in my mind. Most of the places are in the next town, all within a couple miles of each other. I believe I will start off here at the local yarn shop, then go into the next town and visit the quilt shop. Then I will stop at the antique mall. After that I will visit Michael's and Hobby Lobby. Then Joann Fabrics. I love looking at all the quilt and crochet books. I'll probably pick one up too because I have a 50% coupon. I will eventually end up at Barnes and Noble. I will start off by grabbing an armful of the newest magazines, usually a mix of craft and baking and decorating magazines. I'll get a cup of something yummy, like a hot chocolate with a shot of peppermint. I'll stand before the glass windows peering into the beautiful display of baked goods and select whatever looks best to me - regardless of the calories! I'll choose a nice comfy overstuffed chair or pick a table next to a window with the afternoon sunlight streaming through. I'll sit for an hour pouring over the magazines. This sounds like a lovely day to me, I better get going!

I quickly throw a load in the washer and hop into the shower. A bowl of cereal, a little makeup, some electric curlers, a big, over-sized comfy sweatshirt and my favorite jeans. Throw the load into the dryer, run the dishwasher. Gather the eggs and give the chickens fresh food and water. Food and fresh water for my little dog Sophie. I'm outta here!

I hop into my car, Diet Coke all ready for me with one of my favorite bendy straws, and a backup can of pop waiting for the ride home. I turn on the radio and start humming along. Wait - am I hearing Christmas music???!!! Yaaaay! Woohoo!!! Now don't all of you throw up. I know some people just hate it, or at least don't like hearing quite so much of it. I love it! I actually have about ten Christmas CDs which I listen to all year long. Go ahead and laugh, I don't mind. I just love Christmas music. It is usually Bing or the Andrews Sisters, or Bing sings Christmas with the Andrews Sisters. (No, I am not kidding) :) I even have Burl Ives. . . and the Time Life Christmas Treasury, a two pack! Woohoo! Yes - I realize I am a dork! But remember . . . He sees you when you sleeping, he knows when you're awake. He knows if you've been bad or good so be good for goodness sake!

As I begin my little journey I will lose myself in the pretty views. I always take the scenic country roads with the farms and open land. I sigh deeply as I tell myself I should be living on a farm. I think the fact that I spent a lot of time on farms as a child visiting southern relatives really influenced me. I honestly feel my body relax and my mood improve when I am driving down a country road. I take in the beautiful open land dotted with red barns and pristine white farm houses with wrap-around porches. I try to memorize these wonderful scenes, safely tucking them away to recall at another time.

I sip my beloved Diet Coke, my only bad habit left next to overspending on fabric, and sing loudly along with the music. I feel the excitement building about all the beautiful things I will see today that I have ALWAYS wanted and just CANNOT live without that I never even knew existed. Please tell me you know what I mean!! The excitement builds as I wonder what treasures will be waiting for me. Who knows what wonderful things I will see today? I will also be thinking that I am really glad there isn't a dashboard camera filming what a nut I must look like singing along to Mr. Grinch and Jingle Bell Rock. All thoughts of housework, chicken coops and flower beds not yet cleaned out are long gone. As you can imagine I will lose all track of time, and might not even get to all the stops I had planned, but I usually end up at Barnes and Noble. The ticking clock will remind me that this wonderful adventure must come to an end. I will gather all my magazines and put them back. I really need to get home. Well, just one quick peek into the craft department . . . there might be new books. A half hour later I usually walk out with either a magazine I couldn't part with or a book I just didn't have time to really look through, and head to my car. Thoughts of home and all the things I need to do or should have done are trying to take over my brain, but I won't let them . . . yet.

One half hour drive home . . . 27 minutes to be exact if the traffic is good . . . and I am smiling and singing along to the Christmas music. Life is good.

Tomorrow will be another day, God willing. I will deal with tomorrow tomorrow. Right now, I will continue to tuck away all the memories of my wonderful little adventure into the back of my mind to bring forth when I need a little boost. I look forward to another day like this.

My wish for you, my dear friends, is that you also have some special days. We all spend so much time taking care of everyone else that we forget about ourselves. When is the last time you took a bubble bath? Or spent hours wandering around in your favorite store or mall? Or had an free afternoon to spend sewing or knitting or painting or reading or baking? Do you ever just feel happy and content and find yourself humming and realizing that life is good? Why is it we put ourselves on the bottom of the list? Don't we need to take care of ourselves so we can be there to take care of everyone and everything else?

I want you to pencil in on the calendar a day or so that says "Today Is Whatever The Heck I Want To Do Day". Did you realize this is a nationally recognized holiday, and you need to be politically correct and observe this day? (Well not really but whatever!) Please observe this day several times a year, maybe monthly. Your loved ones want you to be happy too. We don't have to be martyrs. Take a day whenever you need one, or whenever you can pull it off. Please enjoy it and let me know how you spent your special day!

P.S. Many thanks to my friend Meri for all the darling images. Do stop by and visit her blog, you will love it! imagimeris.blogspot.com/

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Aunt Bea is my hero, Goober and Barney make me laugh. "I Love Lucy" is one of my favorite shows. Watching her in the Long, Long Trailer still makes me laugh even though I've seen it a dozen times. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Meet Me In St. Louis, It's a Wonderful Life, White Christmas, and A Christmas Story (with Ralphie) are among my favorites, but I love all the wonderful old movies. I enjoy listening to music from the 40's and old radio shows. I also love Christmas music, year round.

Yep, I'm that girl who is happy to hear Christmas on the radio in November while everyone else groans!

I love vintage, anything country, and handmade. I believe in handmade. I enjoy creating things with my hands, and I love to sew, quilt, make dolls and toys, crochet, knitting, and embroider. I love to draw and paint and write stories. One of my dreams is to illustrate my own children's book. I love to garden, cook, bake, and make jam.

Whenever there is time I play the piano, and since I asked for a ukelele for mother's day I've been trying to learn to play that. Luckily I dabbled in guitar so I have head start.

I'm kind of obsessed with the 40's. I figure that if I was born in the 30's I would have been just the right age in the forties. Just think how different life would be. The world was most definitely a kinder and gentler place . Even though it was hard work without all our modern inventions, people seemed to appreciate things more and have priorities in the right place.

When I bake or make jam I wear a handmade apron, sometimes mine - sometimes from my vintage apron collection. My blue ribbons from county fair are proudly displayed in my sewing room.

I enjoy hanging laundry out to dry, old fashioned clothespins and all. The sheets dance with the gentle breeze on the old, cotton clothesline, and when I lie in bed they will have that wonderful smell you can't get from a dryer sheet.

The summer sun warms my skin as I work in my garden. My soul is renewed as I inhale that wonderful smell of earth and grass, and I dig into the garden beds. As I plant and pull those stubborn weeds, I remind myself that mother nature is providing me with a dirt manicure. The sweet songs the birds are singing to me fill the air, and I stop and say a small prayer, thanking God for my blessings.

I have nine chickens, all named for special women in my life, my grandmas, aunts, and great aunts. My girls bless me with the most beautiful brown eggs a girl could ask for!

Now, if only I could find a vintage 50's trailer I would paint it pink and aqua and cover it with polka dots. I'd place it right next to the flower garden, set back between two tall oak trees. I'll fill it with my handmade quilts and curtains and pillows and vintage crocheted potholders. I would decorate it with all the vintage kitschy things I've collected over the years.

Life would be perfect!

If you also believe in handmade, and long for simpler times, please join me in my adventures. My goal is to inspire, teach skills to create, and promote all things handmade.